Food Battlefront
by KrystorAkuhei
Summary: Daijin Kazuma… so you're the son of the renowned Akuma, eh? I guess this year will be an interesting competition between you and I, the heir to Totsuki Academy... Nakiri Erina! Don't disappoint me!
1. Chapter 1

_**Food Batlefront**_

 **Hey readers! This is my first Shokugeki no Soma fanfic, so bear with me if I mess something up! This will entail the journey of** **Kazuma** **through high school, so I hope you all will enjoy!**

 **Also, please, please, please leave reviews! Favs and follows are great, but I really need reviews to help me! If you like it, review why, and if you don't, review how I could make it better!**

 **Thanks!**

 _ **Chapter 1: Enter**_ _ **Kazuma**_

 _Totsuki Academy, eh?_ I mumbled. I looked around me and saw fancy cars and limousines parked in the parking lot. Transferees were slowly trickling into the Examination Hall for the transfer exam, dressed all nice and showy. Butlers and guards attended to some of the transferees, and some even carried tea trays heaped with cups of tea and delicacies.

I snorted with derision. Those pinpricks didn't know what they were trying to enter; had no idea what type of hell they were trying so hard to pass into. I knew, though. My father, Daijin Yokuma, was once the first seat in the Academy's Elite Ten Council, and once I had reached the age where I could properly hold a knife in my hands, he started teaching me all he knew about the culinary arts. Though to be fair, I didn't even know of Totsuki Academy until the last day of middle school, when my dad decided to go on a world tour cooking trip.

My father ran a small restaurant in the suburbs in the Tokyo prefecture, and for 13 years ever since I was 3 I worked in that restaurant, learning various culinary techniques and styles. It wasn't until the last day of middle school that I learned the truth about my father, and how he had gained so much knowledge about cooking.

" _Kazuma, today you have finished middle school, and learned enough about cooking for you to flourish in Totsuki." Yokuma smiled at his son proudly._

" _Totsuki? What's that?" Kazuma asked. He had never heard of a 'Totsuki.' Yokuma grinned._

" _That's where you'll be continuing your cooking education, only on a higher level. Totsuki Culinary Academy, world renown for its graduating alumni, is an elite institution with a graduation rate of less than 10%." Kazuma's eyes widened._

" _E-eh?! I'm not ready for such a school like that! I would never be even close to that level right now!" His father only broadened his smile._

" _Believe it or not, I was the best of my class while I was enrolled in Totsuki. If I think that you're ready, then you are." He placed a fist on Kazuma's chest. "Go to Totsuki, Kazuma, and take the top of your class."_

Just then, my phone rang and I picked up. "Hello?"

"Hey, Kazuma. Have you reached Totsuki yet?"

I rolled my eyes. "Of course I have. I'm about to enter the Examination Hall and take the Transfer Exam. Any last encouraging words for me?"

There was a silence, and then… "Don't fail. Oh, but you should also be informed that Nakiri Erina will be your examiner."

"Eh? Nakiri Erina? Who's that?"

I waited for my dad to reply, but all I got was, "You'll find out soon enough" before he hung up. I groaned at my dad's abruptness. All I could think about at the moment was to pass the Transfer Exam and start my campaign of taking the top of my class, so I had no time to indulge in thoughts like who this 'Erina' was. I fought back a yawn and headed into the transfer hall.

I slowly meandered into the throng of transfer students currently milling around in the Examination Hall and quickly analyzed the lot of them. My conclusion? They would all be failures. Every single one of them.

I wasn't exaggerating; I could tell whether or not people were confident and passionate about cooking, that was just a skill I gleaned from 12 years of training and 9 years of serving customers on a daily basis. All of these people just wanted to take advantage of their so-called 'high status' in the food world and elevate themselves even more without harboring a passion about cooking! I knew at once that none of them but me were going to pass, simply because I was the only one who had the ambition to do so. Those who didn't had no right to even try to join.

Suddenly, a gasp when through the crowd, and I blinked in astonishment as a blonde amethyst-eyed beauty and a pink-haired girl walked through a side door in the hall up front. The blonde seemed more cooking-inclined, so I focused my attention and analyzed her quickly. Her poise, her regality, her aura of power… I could tell at once that this girl was no ordinary student; her movements and condescending glare on the batch of transferees standing before her testified to this fact.

Murmurs began to circulate between the people around me.

"Oi, oi! Isn't that Nakiri Erina?!"

"No way! They'd never let her evaluate the transfer exam; she'd fail everyone right away!"

"This is nuts… no way this can be happening, right? I thought we'd get an easy examiner!"

I ignored the despaired mutterings of the transferees around me and focused on the girl. _Nakiri Erina, eh? So this is the one my father was talking about… someone from this school that even he would know… Interesting!"_

I was knocked out of my thoughts when I heard the blonde speak up.

"Hisako, what's the testing procedure?"

The pink-haired girl, Hisako, spoke up. "There are three parts to the Transfer Exam, Erina-sama. First, the intervie-"

"Boring." Erina cut in. Without looking back, she snapped her fingers and some people rolled in kitchens with food items on them. With deliberate movements, she turned around, reached down and grabbed an egg out of a bowl before turning back around to face us. "The main ingredient will be egg. You are allowed to make anything as long as it centers around the egg. Make one dish that can satisfy me and you shall pass. Also, I will give people who wish to retract their transfers within the next minute."

There was a moment of confusion, until her words finally sunk into them. They started panicking and running out the doors, crying for their mommies or whatnot. I just stood by at the side and walked up the aisle as everyone else was running out the doors.

I did notice, however, another transfer student heading up to the kitchen as well. I eyed him, but only caught sight of a flash of red before my vision was obscured by more frantic people.

When I finally reached the kitchens, the red-head was already there, staring at the two girls in front of him. When I directed my attention to where he was looking, I chuckled. Erina was holding Hisako's chin and tilting it up slightly, giving the impression of some romantic atmosphere. Of course, that red-head just head to ruin it by blurting out, "So we just need to make a dish centered around eggs, right?"

The two of them spun around to look at us in surprise. "Not just one, but _two_ transfers are willing to take my exam?! Either they must be really confident, or just that stupid."

I grinned at Erina's words. "Well, I'd have to say that I'm on the confident side. All I have to do is make a dish that will get you to say 'delicious,' right?" I pulled out one of the two special cooking knives that my father gave me holstered on my hips. I gave it a whirl in the air and caught it by my thumb and index finger, like forceps. "Of course I'll take your exam!"


	2. The Examination

**So, I'm back with another chapter, and thanks for all the reviews, favorites and follows! To answer a big question about the pairing, I've decided for now to stick with OCxErina. I love SoumaxErina pairings too, but that seems to be the norm for pairings at the moment, and I have a habit of making OCs a bit stronger than the main character of the canon. Tell me what you all think!**

 **By the way, please review your preference of pairing, either review OCxErina!, or SoumaxErina, or just review if you liked it or not!**

 **Winning pairing will be the official pairing in the story!**

 _ **Chapter 2: Intoduction**_

 _Previously…_

 _I smirked at Erina and said, "Of course I'll take your exam!"_

 **Now…**

Erina narrowed her eyes condescendingly and sighed. "Very well, I'll-" She stopped talking, and I could plainly see why. The redhead had gone up to Erina with a carefree expression and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Ah! Thank goodness, I thought that you were gonna fail me before I even got the chance to cook… hahaha…" I rolled my eyes at his attitude. A few seconds later, his hand was roughly knocked away by the pink haired girl named Hisako. She stood protectively in front of Erina, causing the redhead to move away slightly.

"Who do you think you are to put your filthy hand on Erina-sama! Don't you know who she is?!" The redhead grinned and shook his head, clearly unperturbed by Hisako's words.

"Nope, not at all. Tell me."

Hisako breathed in deeply as if she were trying not to lose her temper, then spoke. "She is Nakiri Erina, 10th seat in the Totsuki Elite Council and top of our class!" I grinned internally at that.

 _So that's what pops was warning me about, eh? Just starting high school and she's already in the highest ruling body aside from the director himself… If I want to surpass pops, I'll have to beat her sooner or later._

I smirked. Maybe my time at Totsuki may be worth it after all! Interesting!

"—Yukihira Souma and Aster Kazuma... " I heard Erina mutter. I pulled myself out of my thoughts and jolted slightly. _Wait, Aster Kazuma? My last name is Daijin! Daijin Kazuma!_ I kept my mouth shut, though, and waited for her to continue speaking.

"Hmph. You both are from third-rate restaurants, eh?" Her voice dripped with disdain and contempt. "Listen up, both of you. This academy is for the elite; the best of the best in the cooking world. It has no need for bottom feeders like you! Now if you have any sense—"

"Hold it." I stepped forward. "I may be from a lower class pedigree than you, Nakiri Erina, but I like to talk through my cooking styles and the food that I make. Once I present my dish to you, you may judge me however you desire." I turned around, knife in hand, and walked towards one of the kitchens.

As I walked to the kitchen I grabbed 6 eggs, a handful of rice, some dried tomatoes and a bit of parsley. When I got there I put my knife back in its holster on my hip; I wouldn't be needing it for the dish I was about to make. Instead I got out my spice grinder made of crystal—the one valuable cooking item that I owned apart from pop's knives.

I took a deep breath… _GO!_ I quickly broke open the 6 eggs and put the yolks in a mixing bowl; after that I put four frying pans on the stove, turning on all four burners at once. I lobbed in 2 bits of butter on two of the frying pans, the handful of rice and touch of oil in the third and some water in the fourth.

While I waited for the pans to warm up from the fire, I took out some homemade ingredients that I had carried with me. Onto the countertop came a packet of powder with chinese words on it, a clump of yellow and dried coral-looking substance, some cheese, and a small vial of specially fermented red wine.

After that I started actually preparing the dish. I beat the eggs until only the yellow yolk was visible before carefully doling out half the bowl into one pan and half the bowl into the other. I made sure that both fit the pans perfectly in shape and turned my attention to the other two pans.

I dumped the packet of powder into the pan of water that was just beginning to boil and tossed in the clump of corally substance as well. I took my crystal grinder and smashed the dried tomatoes in a special paste bowl until I created some tomato paste. I sprinkled in a few touches of parsley after I finished that. I then poured the vial of red wine into the rice that was sizzling in the fourth pan and stirred it a bit before turning my attention back to the two pans with egg.

I turned the egg patties over in the frying pan and added some oil so it would brown a bit on that side and took out a bowl and two plates for the plating of my dish. Once I got them turned off the burners for the rice and soup pans.

I poured the now-turned soup into the bowl and doled the crackling red rice onto a plate before returning once last time to the egg patties. I turned off those two burners as well and flipped one of the patties so that it landed on the plate with the browned side down. I put a perfectly-cut thin layered circle of cheese that barely fit the area of the egg patty on the top and applied a thin layer of tomato paste on the cheese, accompanied by a pinch of allspice evenly spaced within the paste. I finished the main part of my dish with the other egg patty and pressed down on the outer edges of the egg patty, forming one dish with the layers hidden inside.

Just as I finished the final touches of my dish, Souma brought his dish over to Erina. Now that my dish was complete, I looked over with a tint of curiosity; I wanted to see what type of complex dish it was…

 _Silence_

In front of Erina sat a bowl of rice and a bowl of scrambled eggs.

I stared wide-eyed at the dish that Souma had just put before Erina, and looked at him with disbelief. "Are you _trying_ to fail, Yukihira Souma?" Erina asked with a cold voice. "I knew you were screwing with me. A bottom feeder chef like you would never-"

"Wait." I said, eyeing the dish carefully. "This dish… I feel that there's more to it than what meets the eye." I turned to Souma again. "Souma, you're gonna pour those eggs on the rice, aren't you." I raised my voice a little so Erina could hear the emphasis on my words. "There is something hidden underneath the eggs."

Erina caught her breath, and closely examined the dish. When her eyebrows raised in shock, I grinned internally. _She found it._

Souma laughed out loud and slapped me on the back lightly. "Ah, man. To think that another chef other than my dad would see through the secret of my dish so quickly. You're good, Kazumi."

My eyebrow twitched slightly in irritation. "It's _Kazuma_ , Souma. Not Kazumi." But Souma was already onto the next part of his dish presentation.

"And… done!" Souma picked up the bowl and in one motion flipped the bowl upside down, letting the eggs and whatever was underneath fall onto the rice below.

 _What the…_ I stared at what seemed to be a cascade of eggs and golden jelly fall in slow motion onto the rice, and saw the jelly _bounce_ on the rice! Not even I could have fortold this type of dish… I looked at the chef whom had made it and thought, _yet another strong chef steps onto the battlefield. Interesting!_

Souma was grinning at Erina like he had the last laugh of some joke, and she stuttered, "F-fine! It looks a bit more interesting, s-so I g-guess I'll have to take a bite."

She took up her chopsticks and picked up a piece of scrambled egg. The moment it went past her lips, she chewed once before swallowing. Her eyes widened and took another look at the dish.

*Erina POV

I widened my eyes when I felt the egg slip down my throat before I could judge its taste. _Oh no!_ A light blush dusted my cheeks as I reached for another scrambled egg bit…

"Huh? Oi Nakiri, didn't you say just a bite? How come you're reaching for another?" Irritation swelled up from inside me due to his teasing voice and I growled.

"Do you have a problem with that, Yukihira?" The redhead shook his head, and I reached for another piece. This time when I ate it, I made sure to analyze every part of its taste.

 _Hm… this egg was well-done and the texture is nice, but there's another aspect to this dish… almost tastes like chicken…_

Something in my head clicked, and I suddenly understood. I looked up at Yukihira. "You used aspic, didn't you?"

The boy laughed his annoying laugh and said, "Right on, Nakiri. I used aspic, which takes the unami from chicken and puts it in a jelly-like form. I put it in a pan and waited it to jell before cutting it up into squares and mix it with the egg."

I looked at the dish again. _Indeed, this chef surely knows what he's doing… On the other hand…_ I ate another piece and felt myself get tickled by tiny angels with Yukihira's face on them with feathers. _No! No! STOP!_ I curse my special tongue in times like these…

I came out from my food-induced hallucination and saw the redhead looking at me expectantly. He grinned again. "Well? Tell me; was it delicious, or was it disgusting? Decide now please."

I ground my teeth together in frustration. Yes, it was a pretty good dish—for a transfer student, of course. However, just looking at his pleased expression made me want to fail him no matter how good his dish was…

"Well? What's your decision Nakiri?" That stupid voice just sent me over the edge of my self-control. I had enough.

"I-its… d-d" I mumbled out. Souma looked confused before I finally shouted out, "It's disgusting!"

The moment those words came out of my mouth, Yukihira looked at me with shock and seemed to turn deathly white. "Y-you're kidding, right?" I shook my head resolutely and took his paper and stamped the red FAILED mark on his examination paper.

I flicked my long blonde hair back and said, "Good day." I turned to Hisako and said, "Hisako, please escort this delinquent out of the Totsuki facilities."

Hisako nodded and said, "Of course, Erina sama." She bowed and started leading the downcast redhead out of the Examination Hall.

"Oh, man. My dad was right; you're gonna be a hard examiner to get through. But don't worry, I'll be taking that 'top of the class' title from you soon, _Nakiri Erina_." I swiftly turned around, and cursed myself for forgetting that there had been not one, but _two_ transferees taking my exam. Before me lay a spread of some sort of egg patty, some red rice and a bowl of strange soup.

I looked up at the other transfer student, Aster Kazuma. Unlike Yukihira, this transfer seemed to be more competitive and more serious about his cooking, as evidenced by the dish he just prepared. His eyes seemed to be prodding me on to try his dish, and his very demeanor seemed to radiate supreme confidence.

 _Reminds me of him…_ _Daijin Yokuma… There are only two chefs that I've met that came close to beating him… Dojima Gin and Saiba Joichiro…_ A light blush dusted my cheeks as I remembered the one meal that Daijin Yokuma had prepared for me; the day he graduated from the Academy he came to the Nakiri mansion to cook a full-course dinner for me and my grandfather, Nakiri Senzaemon.

"Um… Erina? The dish will get cold if you don't eat it…" A gentle voice shook me from my memories and brought me back to reality.

"Huh? Wha?" I looked around and saw Kazuma frown at me.

"I _said_ , you should try my dish before it gets too cold…" I nodded once and took up my pair of chopsticks, but Kazuma stopped me. "No, Erina. This dish has a certain order to eat it in." He smiled. "First, use a knife and cut the egg patty. Eat a piece, then move onto the rice, then the soup."

It was my turn to frown. "Such a specific order? Fine, but don't let it disappoint me like that fool boy's did." Kazuma just waved my warning off. I cut a piece of the egg patty like he told me and used a fork this time to pick it up. The moment I put it past my lips, my body convulsed and felt my tongue get assaulted by a variety of flavors and textures.

 _What… what is this?! The complexity of this one part of the dish far exceeds that of Yukihira already! First it's crunchy, then soft, and then a multitude of flavors seemingly bursts out! Is this cumin? No, it can't be. Szechuan peppercorns? No, it's not that evident. Parsley? Definitely. That other flavor though…_

I gasped. "Allspice." I turned and saw Kazuma look at me with confidence. "You used allspice, didn't you? Along with a hidden layer of parmesan cheese and tomato paste with parsley mixed in." Kazuma simply nodded. "But how?! Learning to use allspice isn't even in the curriculum in this academy! Only spice experts and food geniuses like me know that!"

Kazuma smiled a lazy smile and simply said, "Please try the next dish." I nodded slightly and scooped up some rice from the plate. It glistened, a very unrice-like trait. I ate a spoonful and almost immediately had another food-induced hallucination.

 _I was on a battlefield, and bullets of rice flew everywhere. I screamed and ran for shelter somewhere but tripped and fell. Suddenly, a soldier of red rice helped me up and said two words. "Flood incoming." Just as he said that, a red tidal wave of red wine came rushing towards me and the soldier, but he and I stood firm and waited for the flood to come…_

I snapped out of my hallucination and eyed Kazuma carefully. No ordinary chef could create such good food, and yet I never heard of him till today… "You used red wine and a slight touch of honey to caramelize the rice, creating a slightly sweet yet unforgettable flavor, eh? Interesting."

I moved onto the last dish, one that I was unfamiliar with. It was a soup, but there was something in it that I couldn't identify. _What is this? I haven't seen this before…_ I scooped it out of the bowl and ate it, savoring the tinge of sweetness and firm texture. I then drank a bit of the soup and understood what it was. "You used a food item called _Ying Er_ , didn't you? A food from China, the plant retains a rigid structure before being soaked with water, which releases a sweet flavor and turns itself soft. The broth created by mixture of the _Ying Er_ and water creates a soup called _Ying Er Tang_."

Kazuma nodded. "Yup, that I did. So," He grinned. "What do you think of my dish?" I smiled slightly. "You did a masterful job, Kazuma. Even by my standards, I am impressed by your ability. I'll pass you. Congratulations."

Kazuma smirked and said, "Of course. Pleasure serving you!" He then walked out of the door, going who-knows-where.

As I watched him go, some inkling of suspicion emerged from within me, but I suppressed it and walked towards my office to notify grandfather that Aster Kazuma had passed but no one else.

 _Still… how could his cooking be so similar to yours, Daijin Yokuma?_

 **Author's Note: So, how was the chapter? Want more story or want more cooking? Review and tell me what you all think!**


	3. Introductions, Speeches and Polar Star

**Hey guys, back with the third chapter!**

 **Still waiting on reviews so I can finalize the pairing, so PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW your choice! Thanks!**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 3: Introductions, Speeches and Polar Star**

*Kazuma's POV

"Ugh…" I groaned loudly into my hand. "Why the heck do I have to give a speech, for crying out loud?! This is so stupid! Not only am I bad at speeches, I've never done one in my whole life! Everyone tells me that I have a cold demeanor and that I look scary!"

Erina and I were sitting in a curtained area off to the side of the stage, waiting to be called to give a speech. Erina eyed me curiously. "You don't seem to be scary, nor do you seem to be cold."

I sighed. "I know, right? I always try to tell others that I'm not a scary person, but it never works!"

Erina scoffed. "Anyways, the reason why you have to give the speech is that out of the total of 400 transfer students that tried out, you were the sole person whom passed. Not only that, but I was the one who passed you. I'm sure that all of them will be very interested in you, so go out there and make a good impression!"

Just then, a girl on the mic outside shouted, "And now I'll introduce your valedictorian, Nakiri Erina!"

 _YEAHH! WHOHOOOO! ERINA-SAMAAAA!_

Shouts and screams exploded from the presumed student body that was just beginning their first year in the high school division. Erina stood up, flipped back a few strands of hair, and said a few words before walking out onto the stage. "Don't screw up."

(One speech later)

"And now, we will have the two students whom managed to transfer into the academy give their speeches!"

I got up and started heading to the curtains before I stopped cold in my tracks and turned around slowly to look at Erina, whom had returned from her speech. We both spoke at the same time. " _Two_ transfer students?! There's only supposed to be one!"

"Y-eah, well… ah, how do I say this…"

 _That voice… I knew that voice_! Yukihira Souma! _Wait, but what's he doing here? I thought Erina failed him?_

I turned to look at Erina, whom was also quite confused. She looked silently at me with eyes that clearly said, "I don't know." I sighed. Whatever, he was a pretty good chef. Just makes more fun and competition for me.

"Umm… I guess I'll just make it short and sweet then. To be honest, I never anticipated transferring into this school, but now that I'm here, I guess I'll use you guys as stepping stones and take the number one spot!"

I rolled my eyes. Exactly how idiotic could this person get? No one in their right mind would be willing to let Souma just call them stepping stones! Apparently Erina had the same thoughts, because I could see her visibly shaking in anger and grind her teeth together.

Then Souma said his last words. "Well, I guess I'll be looking forward to working with you all! Bye!" He walked off the stage and right into our curtained area. He noticed me almost immediately and grinned. "Hey, you're that other transfer student, right? Aster Kazumi? Glad you passed too!"

I snarled. "It's _Kazuma_ , Souma. Not Kazumi. How many times will I have to repeat myself?" Souma pointedly ignored me and eyed Erina. "Oh! You're that examiner from before! Nakiri, right? Man, I thought I was done with for sure because you said that my dish was disgusting! Well, I'm relieved, because now I get to use the entire year to cook something up that will make you say 'delicious'! Look forward to it!"

I rolled my eyes. "You're so laid-back, Souma. Get a grip on this academy's atmosphere already. If you don't focus on working your hardest here," my eyes glinted with malice. "You will be expelled before the first year is already over."

"-second transfer student, Aster Kazumi!"

I stood up. "Well, I guess that's my call. Wish me luck." And I went up to the stage.

As I walked onto the stage, I retained a cool demeanor and strode up to the podium. "Hello, fellow students of Totsuki." I paused a few seconds before going on. "I'm sure that many of you here are very talented, and that many of you here are not. Let me make myself clear right here, right now. You all have potential, and you all have some kind of skill in you, but only a select few of you will make it through all three years of this school."

Murmurings began to spread throughout the crowd as they heard me speak. I continued on, putting more and more force behind my words as I spoke. "I hope you all know the legends of the alumni of Totsuki, and especially that of a man from the 71st generation."

I saw the students look at each other in anticipation, and I smiled coldly. "Yes, I speak of the only student who had challenged the director himself in a Shokugeki and ended it as a tie, Daijin Yokuma, also known as THE DEVIL OF TOTSUKI!" I calmed down, then said, "I pity you all, fellow classmates, for being in my generation, for the top seat will now belong to me, Daijin Kazuma!"

Gasps of shock, disbelief and fear rippled through the crowd like a tsunami wave. I narrowed my eyes menacingly and said, "Good luck surviving, fellow students."

I gave one last stare at the audience and left, relishing in the stunned silence that permeated the crowd. As I stepped off and went back into the curtained area, Erina was once again yelling at Souma.

"-like I told you! Your cooking is no good; no patron at any restaurant would ever take more than a bite of it! Lowly 3rd rate chef!"

I cleared my throat and both of them looked at me. I awkwardly stood there and scratched the back of my head, saying, "Ah… did I interrupt something? I guess I'll just go then…"

Erina shook her head. "No, you may stay. I was just having a _conversation_ with Yukihira here about his horrible cooking."

I raised my eyebrows in curiosity. "So neither of you heard my speech?"

Erina shook her head. "Unfortunately not, but I'm sure it was great. Unlike this _other_ illegitimate transfer."

I looked over at Souma, whom just chuckled and said, "Well, what can I say? That's her opinion. Although…" he turned to face Erina. "I _will_ make a dish someday that will make you say 'delicious!', whether you like it or not." He checked his watch and said, "Well, see you guys later, I need to get to the dorm now, bye!"

And Souma went running out through the door. I sighed and said, "I'd better get going too. See you later, Erina."

(Later that day)

"Ugh! Where the hell is this Polar Star Dorm anyways?! The lady said that I just had to walk a bit in this direction and I'd walk right up to its gates, but all I see is a bunch of trees!" I grumbled a bit and kept walking until I stumbled across Erina and her aid, Hisako.

"Oi, Erina, Hisako!" I waved my hand and shouted out loud. "I gotta question for you!" Both of them looked at me and then back at each other before walking towards me. Erina in particular had an irritated expression on her face.

"Yes Kazuma? What is it?"

I grinned. "Looks like someone isn't happy to see me. What happened?" Erina's face flushed bright red.

"N-n-nothing! Nothing at all! Absolutely nothing! No shokugekis to hide or anything!" Her eyes widened when she realized what she let slip out of her mouth and looked down at the ground in embarrassment.

I laughed and said, "Oh, so that's it? A shokugeki? Who's it against?"

Erina sighed in irritation. "It's that Chanko Nabe research society; they've been eating up Totsuki's money and have yet to turn up any new results in terms of knowledge or new dishes. So I'm going to wipe it out and use its space as a new addition to my kitchens."

"Interesting! So anyways, my question. Do you know where the Polar Star Dorms are located? I can't seem to find them, and it's kinda getting late."

Erina looked around and said, "It's not really popular but I think I do know its location… I think it's down this road a couple of miles."

My mouth dropped open and Erina smirked. "Well, looks like you're in luck today for running into me. I'll call up a car to take us there, since I have some business to conduct with someone currently living there anyways."

When the car pulled up to the driveway of the Polar Star Dorm, I got out, grumbling about the sheer size of the school and its ridiculousness for needing such a massive size. Erina and Hisako followed soon after, caught up in their own conversations.

I opened the gates of the dorm and saw… A dilapidated building the size of a castle and covered in vines. Somehow, in the darkness of the late afternoon glow, the building seemed almost sinister and ominous.

"Come on, Kazuma. I'll take you to the dormkeeper, Fumio." I grumbled some more inaudible things and followed Erina into the dorm.

(Later)

My eyebrow twitched slightly in annoyance, and it seemed that Erina had the same expression on her face.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE, YUKIHIRA SOUMA?!" Erina yelled.

Souma had apparently just finished cooking for an old lady with spiky white hair, because the old lady had a pleased expression on her face, and a plate was on a table next to her. Souma saw us standing at the doorway and grinned.

"Hey, Kazumi! Hey Erina!"

"It's Kazuma!"

"It's Nakiri to you, boy!"

Erina and I shouted at Souma at the same time, glanced at each other in mild surprise, and went back to glaring at the jovial redhead.

"Anyways, what were you doing? And why did you cook for… umm…"

"Fumio? Oh, she told me that in order to gain the right to reside in the Polar Star Dorm I had to cook for her, so I did."

I glanced at the old lady. "Fumio, eh? Do I need to cook for you as well?"

Fumio looked up at me and smirked. "Of course-"

"That won't be necessary, Fumio-san. As a member of the Elite Ten Council, I give Kazuma permission to reside here. He's more than qualified, since I was the one who admitted him into the academy in the first place."

Fumio shrugged. "Alright, if that's what you say so." She turned to both Souma and I and gave us each one key. "That's your key to your room; lose it and you get to sleep outside the dorm with the chickens, understood?"

Souma and I looked at each other, grinned and nodded. "Yeah, sure. Got it."

Souma then turned and walked off, saying "Well, I guess I'll go take a bath now. See ya guys!"

A few minutes later, I heard Fumio mumble to herself. "Wait, isn't it the girls' turn right now?" A panicked look crossed my face when I heard that, and sure enough, a loud scream ripped through the dorm, and a loud smack echoed along its halls.

I face-palmed while muttering, "Souma, you big idiot."


	4. Shokugeki?

**To all who noticed that my "chapter 4" was actually chapter 3, I apologize.**

 **Shoutout to twain apprentice, the one who notified me about the mistake: Thanks so much!**

 **On a later note, I will officially determine the pairing by the time chapter 6 is up, so keep those reviews going!**

 **Read, review, enjoy!**

 **Food Battlefront Chapter 4**

I elbowed Souma playfully when I saw him walking down the stairs of the dorm. My grin spread even wider when I saw the large red hand imprint on his face. "Yo, Souma. You're looking quite well, eh?"

Souma grumbled and said, "How the hell was I supposed to know that someone was using the showers at the time? The door wasn't even locked!"

I rolled my eyes. "Souma, was there a sign on the door saying something even remotely related to 'lock broken'?"

He looked at the ground in embarrassment and I chuckled with amusement. I walked up the stairs heading to my room and waved over my shoulder. "Just don't do that again, and I think we'll all get along just swell. Later."

When I got to the top I saw Erina walk out of a room, with Hisako tailing her. I raised an arm in greeting.

Erina saw me looking at her and stopped.

"Yes Kazuma? What is it?"

I grinned. "You seem more confident about something now. Why?"

"Absolutely nothing! Nothing at all!" She started walking past me but I turned around and asked, "Does it have something to do with the shokugeki you're having tomorrow by any chance?"

I smirked when Erina stopped dead in her tracks and turned to look at me. "I've been wondering ever since I told you about the shokugeki. You talked about it and the research societies so familiarly, yet you're a transfer student! How would you know so much about our internal workings on the first day of school?! It isn't on our website either; its sole purpose is to filter out the massive amount of aspiring transferees! Yet you know them…"

I grinned. "You said that you didn't hear my speech; that must be why you still don't understand who I truly am."

Erina gave me a quizzical glance. "Huh?"

I smiled, albeit demonically. "I'm sure you know of Daijin Yokuma, the former 1st seat of the 71st generation."

Erina nodded, still confused. "Yeah, he came and cooked a meal for grandfather and me the day he graduated. What does that have to do with you?"

I grinned. "My true name isn't Aster Kazuma… rather, it's _Daijin_ _Kazuma_. Daijin Yokuma is my father."

Erina's eyes widened to the size of silver dollars and she gasped in shock. Hisako, who was standing on Erina's right, also gasped.

"WHAT?! You're his SON?!" Erina stepped back suddenly and narrowed her eyes. "You aren't really? There's no way!"

I chuckled. "Erina, if what my pops told me is accurate, you gave him a knife that was from your prized collection. A very sharp cutting knife, about the size of a dagger. Am I correct?"

She nodded. "But that doesn't prove anything!" She snapped.

I unsheathed one of the knives at my waist and inspected it. I held it out for Erina to see. "The _Couteau Universel_ knife, a knife that can be used to prepare almost any dish. Created by the renowned chef _D'artgnan Fley_ , this knife is known to be the rarest cuisine knife in the world, as there is only _one in the world._

I handed it over for Erina to take a look. She inspected it carefully before handing it back and eyeing me with slightly less suspicion and sighing.

"Yes, that is indeed the knife I gave to Yokuma. D'artgnan Fley was a friend of grandfather's, so when he passed he gave the knife to grandfather, whom in turn gave it to me. After your father left the Academy, I felt inclined to give the great chef a gift worthy of his skill; it was that knife which you are holding now."

I smirked. "Told you so. Now, about my question. What made you gain such more confidence after coming out of that room? Who lives there?"

Erina sighed. "He's the 7th seat of the Elite Ten, Satoshi Isshiki. He's a second year at this school. The reason why I needed to come all the way to the Polar Star is because I needed to talk with Isshiki about the match; he agreed with me and confirmed my dish selection to be a 3-0 shutout in my favor.

I whistled appreciatively. "If you're dishes are so good that they can do a complete shutout on a second-year student, and Isshiki can evaluate the potency of your dish, he must be a very good chef indeed."

She motioned for me to follow her. "Come, I'll introduce you to him. Knowing your father and his tendencies, I'm assuming that you'll want to make as many powerful connections as you can to accelerate your ascendance into the Elite Ten."

She walked off before I could get the chance to reply, and Hisako hurried after her. "Come on Kazuma!" Erina called.

"Yes, yes…" I grumbled. As I walked after her I wondered how in the world she came to that conclusion so quickly. I smirked internally. _Heh, never expected her to figure out my plans so accurately and correctly. She's got a sharp mind._

* * *

I blinked owlishly at the man currently sitting in front of me, and Erina standing between us. "So you're Satoshi Isshiki, eh? Nice to meet you I guess…" Isshiki was currently wearing a pair of pink bunny slippers, a shirt with a little bear on it and a nightcap tilted on his head. _Doesn't seem to be Elite Ten material to me… though it could be a ruse to let people's guards down… I should be cautious around this guy._

I shook his hand firmly and said, "It's good to meet you, Satoshi Isshiki."

Isshiki smiled warmly and replied, "Likewise, ah…" He trailed off as he realized that he didn't know my name.

"Kazuma." Erina intervened. She looked at me once before continuing. "Daijin Kazuma." Isshiki looked surprised, just like Erina when she found out my true identity.

"The Demon's son… Daijin Kazuma, eh? Interesting! I expect great things from you, Kazuma. We, the Polar Star dorm, welcome you with open arms!"

Erina nodded silently and said, "Well, I must take my leave now—I need to rest up for my Shokugeki against the Chanko Nabe RS tomorrow. Good day-"

I cut her off abruptly. "Wait! I want to participate in a shokugeki. Is there a way you can set me up with demolishing another RS that's useless? I want a personal kitchen to my name as well, ya know?"

Erina frowned. "Hm… I can't say that it would be hard to find a RS that needs to be taken out, but do you have the skill set and strength to beat their best member? Even in those research societies which produce next to no results overall, the best member usually is a second year, one of the top 100 students of their class."

I smirked. "Erina, my goal isn't just the first seat here—that's just a side benefit that comes with what I'm trying to achieve. But if I can't even beat a second year student at their best with my best, there's no way I'll be able to surpass the heights that my father reached…" I lifted my hand and looked up at the ceiling. "I want to reach that place, the place that my father never saw before… the front lines and very edge of the culinary world—the Food Battlefront!"

Erina smirked. "This is a challenge to me, then? Very well." She turned to Isshiki. "Isshiki, is there any RS right now that isn't turning out anything new or innovative as of yet?"

Isshiki, who had been watching and hearing our conversation, grinned. "Why yes, of course! There just so happens to be this RS called the Ramen RS, and it's not being very productive as of now. Out of the 10,000,000 yen we allotted to the RS, 4,000,000 has been used up and still no products or results. I'd say that's the perfect RS to wipe out right now, don't you think, Erina?"

"Of course. Normally I'd take upon the responsibility of clearing that pathetic RS out myself, but since Kazuma is so adamant about being strong and superior in this academy, why don't we let him take care of it? He's looking for a RS to clear out anyways." She glanced at me. "Will you take on the shokugeki?"

I smirked. "Of course, you don't even have to ask. I'll fill out a shokugeki form and fill in all the details in the challenge letter. I'll also need one of you two to validate this shokugeki and make it official."

Isshiki nodded. "I'll validate this shokugeki and make sure that the terms are fair and confirm the date and theme. Just so you know, you'll probably be facing the leader of the Ramen RS, Tsubasa Yuchiro. He's a second year who ranked somewhere between 30-40 among the 1000 students in his first year class. The theme will be Ramen, since it is a shokugeki that will put their RS at stake. State what you will wager if you lose this match."

In a blunt voice, I said, "I'll leave the academy and never set foot inside it again. In return, I want all of the money the RS currently has as well as all of the property that they own. In short, I want them completely and totally wiped from this academy. Everything they own collectively as a RS shall be mine. Fair enough?"

Isshiki nodded. "Those terms weigh about equal, I suppose. I will contact the Ramen RS tomorrow and tell you their response by the time night comes."

Erina yawned a bit and looked out the window. By now the sun had fallen and the orangey glow of the sun had been replaced by the cool, calm mild glow of the moon. She stood up along with Hisako, inclined her head to Isshiki and I and said, "I must get going now; grandfather is expecting me to be home by now, and I need to rest up before the shokugeki tomorrow. Good day."

After Erina left, Isshiki and I discussed a few things about various cooking techniques, styles and recipes. I had to admit that the upperclassman had an extensive knowledge of the culinary arts and certainly deserved to be part of the Elite Ten.

After about an hour into our conversation, I heard a loud _crash_ , a squawk of indignation, and continuous peals of laughter. I looked at Isshiki for an explanation, and he shrugged. "It's probably Ryouko and the others starting their midnight party."

I looked at my watch and saw that it was indeed midnight. I sighed and stood up. "Well, I'd better turn in for the night then; I'll come up with what I'm gonna make as well…" I stumbled towards the door. Suddenly, I felt a hand land on my shoulder.

"I-isshiki?" A foreboding presence loomed behind me, and I shakily looked at the elite ten member. Isshiki had on an eerie smile, which was effectively creeping me out, though I didn't show it.

"Come, Kazuma. The night is still young! We must enjoy our youth to the fullest and reach for the stars with passion and joy!" Isshiki suddenly cried out. He attempted to drag me out and into another room (the one with noise coming from it), but I wrested from his grip and dashed through the halls into my room. I locked it behind me and slid to the floor, gasping for breath.

"I'm safe… at least for now…" I wheezed out with labored breaths. I climbed into my bed and looked at the ceiling once before turning over and falling asleep.

Unfortunately for me, however, I did not notice one of the ceiling panels shake and disappear, nor did I notice the leering face of my upperclassman as he gazed upon my sleeping figure.

Isshiki Satoshi sat above my room and mused quietly. "Daijin Kazuma, eh? You're quite the interesting one. Perhaps you'll even..."

Isshiki shook his head. "Maybe I'm just being paranoid. God's Tongue accepting anyone? What a joke." With that, he replaced the ceiling tile and crept back over to the party in one of the other rooms.


End file.
